BACKGROUNDNovel influenza A viruses of avian-origin may be the precursors of pandemic strains. This descriptive study aims to introduce a novel avian-origin influenza A (H10N8) virus which can infect humans and cause severe diseases.

METHODSCollecting clinical data of three cases of human infection with a novel reassortment avian influenza A (H10N8) virus in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.

RESULTSThree cases of human infection with a new reassortment avian influenza A(H10N8) virus were described, of which two were fatal cases, and one was severe case. These cases presented with severe pneumonia that progressed to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and intractable respiratory failure.

CONCLUSIONThis novel reassortment avian influenza A (H10N8) virus in China resulted in fatal human infections, and should be added to concerns in clinical practice.

Aged ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fluoroquinolones ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Imipenem ; therapeutic use ; Influenza A Virus, H10N8 Subtype ; drug effects ; pathogenicity ; Influenza, Human ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oseltamivir ; therapeutic use

Plastic bronchitis is an uncommon disorder characterized by the formation of bronchial casts. It is associated with congenital heart disease or pulmonary disease. In children with underlying conditions such as allergy or asthma, influenza can cause severe plastic bronchitis resulting in respiratory failure. A review of the literature showed nine cases of plastic bronchitis with H1N1 including this case. We report a case of a child with recurrent plastic bronchitis with eosinophilic cast associated with influenza B infection, who had recovered from plastic bronchitis associated with an influenza A (H1N1) virus infection 5 months previously. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of recurrent plastic bronchitis related to influenza viral infection. If patients with influenza virus infection manifest acute respiratory distress with total lung atelectasis, clinicians should consider plastic bronchitis and early bronchoscopy should be intervened. In addition, management for underlying disease may prevent from recurrence of plastic bronchitis.
Administration, Inhalation ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use ; Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use ; Bronchitis/complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Bronchoscopy ; Child ; DNA, Viral/analysis ; Dyspnea/etiology ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity/pathology ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Influenza B virus/genetics/isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human/complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Male ; Oseltamivir/therapeutic use ; Pulmonary Atelectasis/drug therapy/radiography ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tachypnea/etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo summarize and analyze the clinical characteristics and diagnostic and therapeutic measures for the first human case of H5N1 avian influenza pneumonia in mainland of China.

METHODSThe clinical data of the first case of H5N1 avian influenza virus infection in China were analyzed and summarized.

RESULTSThe case is a 9-year old boy, who developed acute symptoms of a light common respiratory infection, including fever and dry cough without obvious catarrh. On the 7th day after onset, his temperature reached 40 degrees C, tachypnea occurred, distinct rales could be heard and large areas of consolidation were seen in the lungs on chest X-ray. The patient's peripheral blood leukocyte count was 2.81 x 10(9)/L and neutrophils dominated. After comprehensive therapeutic approaches, including antiviral therapy (amantadine) and use of low-dosage glucocorticoid, the patient's temperature returned to normal on the 3rd hospitalization day, chest X-ray showed absorbed inflammatory change on the 5th day after admission, and leukocyte count became normal on the 6th day. No complication occurred during the whole course. The case was diagnosed by the 4 fold raised antibody to the H5N1 influenza virus in recovery stage serum because the H5N1 nucleic acid test in early stage was negative. The case was cured and discharged after 3 weeks comprehensive treatment.

CONCLUSIONSIt is very important for clinicians to pay enough attention to epidemiological history, especially history of exposure to avian influenza virus contaminated material, which will be very helpful for early detection, early diagnosis of the disease, and also very important for effective treatment and better prognosis.

Amantadine ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; immunology ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Birds ; Child ; China ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; transmission ; Influenza, Human ; complications ; diagnosis ; Male ; Pneumonia ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; virology ; Treatment Outcome

Leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) usually presents palpable purpura characterized by inflammation of vessel walls and fragmentation of nuclei. Various conditions can cause LCV, and it can be induced by influenza A virus infection. We report a 2-yr-old Korean girl who presented palpable purpuric and hemorrhagic lesions with fever. She was diagnosed as LCV by skin biopsy, and influenza A virus was isolated from nasopharyngeal swab. She was treated with oseltamivir (Tamiflu(R)) and prednisolone with dramatic effect of vasculitis and fever.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use ; Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fever/etiology ; Humans ; Influenza A virus/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human/*complications/drug therapy/virology ; Nasopharynx/virology ; Oseltamivir/therapeutic use ; Prednisolone/therapeutic use ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin/pathology ; Vasculitis, Leukocytoclastic, Cutaneous/*diagnosis/drug therapy/etiology